1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns the use of a compound that is able to bind to albumin.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Albumin-binding ligands attached to a solid phase have been used for the removal of albumin from liquid samples mainly for two purposes: a) purification of albumin and b) further processing of the liquid samples in the absence of albumin. In order to obtain a sufficient quality of the final albumin preparation, the step involving binding to an albumin ligand has often been combined with other steps including ion exchange and binding based on hydrophobic interaction. Both batch-wise and chromatographic processes have been described.
Albumin-binding ligands in soluble form have been used for desorption of albumin adsorbed to a matrix via an albumin-binding ligand (e.g. regeneration of adsorbents). The soluble ligand then competes with the ligand covalently attached to the matrix for the same binding site on albumin.
Arrays of compounds and single compounds exhibiting scaffold I have been described in WO 9622529, WO 9400509 and WO 9401102. However, the possibility of finding efficient albumin-binding ligands among individual members of these previously described arrays has hitherto not been recognised.